,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dajj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #aj1 #bjbd,mr4 ,moran 7for himself and ,ms4 ,hirono7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to establish the ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation to support the educational outreach activities of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,honoring ,veterans' ,legacies and ,burial ,benefits ,enhancements ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4,,title ,i--,supporting the ,veterans ,legacy ,program,sec4 #aja4 ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation to support educational outreach activities of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program4,,title ,,ii--,ensuring dignified burials for veterans,sec4 #bja4 ,headstones and markers for groups of individuals buried in group interments4,sec4 #bjb4 ,requirement for use of dignified burial containers for interments in national cemeteries4,,title ,,iii--,burial benefits enhancements,sec4 #cja4 ,expansion of eligibility for government-furnished headstone1 marker1 or medallion for medal of honor recipients4,sec4 #cjb4 ,modification of eligibility for burial benefits relating to other than dishonorable service for deaths in active service4,sec4 #cjc4 ,permanent authority for burial1 memorial headstones1 and markers of spouses and dependent children who predecease veterans and active duty members of the ,armed ,forces4 ,i ,supporting the ,veterans ,legacy ,program #aja4 ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation to support educational outreach activities of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #bd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #bdae4 ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,there is established the ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation 7in this section referred to as the ,foundation74 7#b7 ,nature of corporation ,the ,foundation is a charitable and nonprofit corporation and is not an agency or establishment of the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,nonprofit status ,if by the end of the four-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the ,honoring ,veterans' ,legacies and ,burial ,benefits ,enhancements ,act the ,foundation is not treated as an organization described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from taxation under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code1 the ,secretary shall dissolve the ,foundation4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the ,foundation are to provide a flexible funding mechanism-- 7#a7 for educational outreach activities of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program that are approved by the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs at one or more national cemeteries under the control of the ,national ,cemetery ,administration2 and 7#b7 to facilitate functions related to the conduct of such activities1 approved as described in paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,board of directors2 executive director 7#a7 ,board of directors 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide for the appointment of a board of directors for the ,foundation4 7,b7 ,membership ,the board of directors of the ,foundation shall include at least one member representing the ,national ,cemetery ,administration4 7,c7 ,limitation ,an individual appointed to the board of directors of the ,foundation may not be affiliated with or employed by any entity that is a source of funding for research or education by the ,department unless that source of funding is a governmental entity or an entity the income of which is exempt from taxation under the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf4 7,d7 ,appointment ,any member of the board of directors of the ,foundation representing the ,national ,cemetery ,administration shall be appointed after consultation with the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs4 7#b7 ,executive director 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,foundation shall have an executive director who shall be appointed by the board of directors of the ,foundation with the concurrence of the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs4 7,b7 ,responsibilities and duties ,the executive director of the ,foundation shall-- 7i7 be responsible for the operations of the ,foundation2 and 7ii7 have such specific duties and responsibilities as the board of directors of the ,foundation may prescribe4 7d7 ,general authorities 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,foundation may-- 7,a7 accept1 administer1 retain1 and spend funds derived from gifts1 contributions1 grants1 fees1 reimbursements1 and bequests from individuals and public or private entities to the ,veterans ,legacy ,program2 7,b7 retain fees for the services provided in administering funds for the ,veterans ,legacy ,program2 and 7,c7 reimburse1 from funds accepted on behalf of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program1 amounts to the applicable appropriation account of the ,department for the ,office of ,general ,counsel for any expenses of that ,office in providing legal services to the ,national ,cemetery ,administration required to implement this section4 7#b7 ,contracts1 grants1 and other agreements ,any contract1 grant1 or other agreement for the carrying out of an educational outreach activity using funds described in paragraph 7#a77;,a7 shall be between the ,foundation and the contractor1 grant recipient1 or other party1 as the case may be4 7#c7 ,availability of reimbursed amounts ,amounts reimbursed to the ,office of ,general ,counsel under paragraph 7#a77;,c7 shall-- 7,a7 be available for use by the ,office of the ,general ,counsel only for staff and training1 and related travel1 for the provision of legal services under this section2 and 7,b7 remain available for such use without fiscal year limitation4 7e7 ,transfer and administration of funds ,any funds received by the ,secretary for the conduct of educational outreach activities of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program1 other than funds appropriated to the ,department1 may be transferred to and administered by the ,foundation4 7f7 ,approval of educational outreach activities ,the ,foundation may not spend funds for an educational outreach activity of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program unless the activity is approved in accordance with procedures prescribed by the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs for educational outreach activities carried out with funds donated or otherwise provided to the ,foundation for such activities4 7g7 ,policies and procedures 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs shall prescribe policies and procedures to guide the spending of funds in support of the ,veterans ,legacy ,program by the ,foundation4 7#b7 ,requirements ,the policies and procedures described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be consistent with-- 7,a7 the purpose of the ,foundation as a flexible funding mechanism2 and 7,b7 ,federal and ,state law and regulations1 executive orders1 circulars1 policies of the ,department1 and directives that apply generally to the receipt and expenditure of funds by organizations described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from taxation under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code4 7h7 ,accountability and oversight 7#a7 ,records available to ,secretary ,the records of the ,foundation shall be available to the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,inspector ,general ,for the purposes of sections #djd7;a77#a7 and #djf7;a77#a7 of title #e1 the programs and operations of the ,foundation shall be considered to be programs and operations of the ,department with respect to which the ,inspector ,general of the ,department has responsibilities under chapter #d of title #e4 7#c7 ,comptroller ,general ,the ,foundation shall be considered an agency for the purposes of section #gaf of title #ca 7relating to availability of information and inspection of records by the ,comptroller ,general74 7#d7 ,conflict of interest policy ,each director1 officer1 and employee of the ,foundation shall be subject to a conflict of interest policy adopted by the ,foundation4 7#e7 ,annual report by ,foundation 7,a7 ,in general ,each year1 the ,foundation shall submit to the ,secretary a report4 7,b7 ,elements ,each report required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the following3 7i7 ,a detailed statement of the operations1 activities1 and accomplishments of the ,foundation during the year in which the report is submitted4 7ii7 ,the most recent audit of the ,foundation under paragraph 7#f74 7iii7 ,the most recent ,internal ,revenue ,service ,form #iij ,return of ,organization ,exempt from ,income ,tax or equivalent and the applicable schedules under such form4 7#f7 ,audits of ,foundation 7,a7 ,revenues in excess of #ejj1jjj ,if revenues of the ,foundation exceed #ejj1jjj in any year1 the ,foundation shall obtain an audit of the ,foundation for that year4 7,b7 ,revenues between #ajj1jjj and #ejj1jjj ,if revenues of the ,foundation are between #ajj1jjj and #ejj1jjj each year for three consecutive years1 the ,foundation shall obtain an audit of the ,foundation for those years4 7,c7 ,independent auditor ,any audit under this paragraph shall be performed by an independent auditor4 7#g7 ,annual report by ,secretary 7,a7 ,in general ,each year1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the ,foundation4 7,b7 ,elements ,each report required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall set forth the following information3 7i7 ,the location of educational outreach activities funded by the ,foundation4 7ii7 ,the amount received by the ,foundation during the previous year1 including-- 7,i7 the total amount received2 7,,ii7 the amount received from governmental entities for research and the amount received from governmental entities for education2 7,,iii7 the amount received from all other sources for research and the amount received from all other sources for education2 and 7,,iv7 if an amount received from a source referred to in subclause 7,,iii7 exceeded #be1jjj1 information that identifies the source4 7iii7 ,the amount expended by the ,foundation during the year for travel conducted in conjunction with research and the amount expended for travel conducted in conjunction with education4 7i7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,educational outreach activity ,the term educational outreach activity means any activity that is part of a collaborative effort involving universities1 schools1 teachers1 professors1 students of all levels1 and nonprofit organizations-- 7,a7 to research veterans interred in national cemeteries under the control of the ,national ,cemetery ,administration2 and 7,b7 to memorialize those veterans by sharing their stories of service and sacrifice to the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,veterans ,legacy ,program ,the term ,veterans ,legacy ,program has the meaning given that term in section #a7;d7 of ,public ,law #aaf-ajg 7#ch ,u4,s4,c4 #bdjj note74 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #bd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new item3 #bdae4 ,national ,cemeteries ,foundation4 4 ,,ii ,ensuring dignified burials for veterans #bja4 ,headstones and markers for groups of individuals buried in group interments ,section #bcjf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7k7 as subsection 7l72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7j7 the following new subsection 7k73 7k7 ,in lieu of a headstone or marker for an individual under this section1 the ,secretary may furnish a single appropriate headstone or marker for a group of individuals buried in a group interment if each individual of such group is eligible for a headstone or marker furnished under this section4 4 #bjb4 ,requirement for use of dignified burial containers for interments in national cemeteries ,section #bdjd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7j7 ,the ,secretary may not accept a cardboard container for the interment of the unclaimed remains of a veteran in a national cemetery unless evidence is provided to the ,secretary that the veteran or a member of the veteran's family previously expressed the desire for the use of such a container4 4 ,,iii ,burial benefits enhancements #cja4 ,expansion of eligibility for government-furnished headstone1 marker1 or medallion for medal of honor recipients ,section #bcjf7;d7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#d77;,b77i71 by inserting 1 except as provided in paragraph 7#e7 after #aiag2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#e77;,c7-- 7,a7 by striking clause 7i72 and 7,b7 by redesignating clauses 7ii7 and 7iii7 as clauses 7i7 and 7ii71 respectively4 #cjb4 ,modification of eligibility for burial benefits relating to other than dishonorable service for deaths in active service 7a7 ,persons eligible for interment in national cemeteries ,section #bdjb7;a77#a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting under conditions other than dishonorable as shown by a statement from a general court-martial convening authority after space service4 7b7 ,headstones1 markers1 and burial receptacles ,section #bcjf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#d77;,a71 by inserting under conditions other than dishonorable as shown by a statement from a general court-martial convening authority after space service2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7g77#b71 by inserting under conditions other than dishonorable as shown by a statement from a general court-martial convening authority after space service4 7c7 ,flags ,section #bcja7;d7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting under conditions other than dishonorable1 as shown by a statement from a general court-martial convening authority1 after space service4 #cjc4 ,permanent authority for burial1 memorial headstones1 and markers of spouses and dependent children who predecease veterans and active duty members of the ,armed ,forces 7a7 ,memorial headstones and markers ,section #bcjf7;b77#b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking if such death occurs before ,october #a1 #bjbd2 and 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking if such death occurs before ,october #a1 #bjbd4 7b7 ,burial ,section #bdjb7;a77#e7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking if such death occurs before ,october #a1 #bjbd4